Short & Caught is Stockhead’s fortnightly recap of which ASX small cap stocks are heavily shorted. Stocks that are shorted have investors betting that they fall.
Shorting works by selling stocks you do not actually own in the hope of buying them back at a lower price.
Because shorting is restricted under Australian law, any substantial shorting of stocks is worth knowing about even if you own these stocks and only trade long.
Code | Name | Price | Short Interest (Shares) | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
PLS | PILBARA MINERALS LTD | 0.2 | 212.77M | 455.86M |
MYR | MYER HOLDINGS LTD | 0.19 | 114.18M | 156.04M |
GXY | GALAXY RESOURCES LTD | 0.71 | 56.41M | 296.87M |
NCZ | NEW CENTURY RESOURCES LTD | 0.16 | 55.66M | 132.84M |
INR | IONEER LTD | 0.13 | 55.21M | 209.99M |
SXY | SENEX ENERGY LTD | 0.21 | 55.08M | 306.02M |
CVN | CARNARVON PETROLEUM LTD | 0.18 | 53.43M | 297.23M |
SXL | SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP L | 0.13 | 49.15M | 319.04M |
FAR | FAR LTD | 0.01 | 38.75M | 139.70M |
CLQ | CLEAN TEQ HOLDINGS LTD | 0.21 | 38.54M | 149.29M |
SWM | SEVEN WEST MEDIA LTD | 0.08 | 36.92M | 126.12M |
PDN | PALADIN ENERGY LTD | 0.12 | 36.03M | 223.07M |
MLX | METALS X LTD | 0.08 | 33.44M | 74.40M |
BUB | BUBS AUSTRALIA LTD | 0.87 | 30.24M | 490.26M |
BUD | BUDDY TECHNOLOGIES LTD | 0.01 | 30.07M | 23.83M |
BGL | BELLEVUE GOLD LTD | 0.56 | 29.40M | 378.54M |
AMA | AMA GROUP LTD | 0.38 | 29.20M | 281.63M |
SYR | SYRAH RESOURCES LTD | 0.23 | 24.17M | 97.42M |
IPD | IMPEDIMED LTD | 0.04 | 24.08M | 39.07M |
KAR | KAROON ENERGY LTD | 0.49 | 23.55M | 284.79M |
EWC | ENERGY WORLD CORP LTD | 0.07 | 17.41M | 125.69M |
GRR | GRANGE RESOURCES LTD | 0.22 | 17.37M | 266.19M |
STX | STRIKE ENERGY LTD | 0.13 | 16.71M | 230.34M |
SPL | STARPHARMA HOLDINGS LTD | 1.06 | 16.08M | 404.23M |
SLC | SUPERLOOP LTD | 0.79 | 15.96M | 287.21M |
AVZ | AVZ MINERALS LTD | 0.06 | 15.72M | 142.20M |
ALG | ARDENT LEISURE GROUP LTD | 0.33 | 13.90M | 165.50M |
HT1 | HT&E LTD | 1.09 | 12.08M | 307.83M |
EHL | EMECO HOLDINGS LTD | 1.1 | 11.54M | 412.78M |
EHE | ESTIA HEALTH LTD | 1.39 | 11.20M | 374.93M |
AMI | AURELIA METALS LTD | 0.3 | 10.13M | 262.20M |
ECX | ECLIPX GROUP LTD | 0.66 | 9.59M | 214.16M |
BOT | BOTANIX PHARMACEUTICALS LTD | 0.05 | 9.16M | 43.77M |
FXL | FLEXIGROUP LTD | 0.85 | 8.98M | 335.23M |
PET | PHOSLOCK ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY | 0.5 | 7.72M | 294.50M |
VEN | VINTAGE ENERGY LTD | 0.05 | 7.40M | 10.96M |
FBR | FBR LTD | 0.03 | 7.04M | 46.75M |
HAS | HASTINGS TECHNOLOGY METALS LTD | 0.06 | 6.65M | 57.93M |
MRM | MMA OFFSHORE LTD | 0.08 | 6.56M | 74.06M |
REG | REGIS HEALTHCARE LTD | 1.5 | 6.50M | 434.58M |
LNG | LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS LTD | 0.04 | 6.37M | 24.80M |
JHC | JAPARA HEALTHCARE LTD | 0.5 | 6.21M | 133.62M |
AJM | ALTURA MINING LTD | 0.05 | 5.52M | 137.37M |
NVA | NOVA MINERALS LTD | 0.05 | 5.50M | 48.19M |
A couple of stocks rose up the list including Southern Cross Media (ASX:SXL) which has 49 million in short shares – up 259 per cent from a month ago; and Bubs Australia (ASX:BUB) which has 30.2 million – up 23 per cent from a month ago.
Southern Cross has had a horror 12 months falling 86 per cent and in recent weeks had to raise fresh capital. As a radio station owner it makes money through advertising revenues and it anticipates a drop of up to 30 per cent in the coming months.
Bubs, on the other hand, has told shareholders its infant formula has continued to sell well domestically and in China.
Retailer Myer (ASX:MYR) surpassed 100 million shares shorted as it prepares to reopen its stores after a 6 week shutdown.
Other targets included one of the larger gold explorers on the ASX, Aurelia Metals (ASX:AMI) and holiday park operator Ardent Leisure (ASX:ALG).
Shorters easing the pressure
Shorters have laid off graphite stock Syrah Resources (ASX:SYR). Syrah spent many months alongside Galaxy Resources (ASX:GXY) as having over $60 million in short interest.
Now Syrah has only 24 million shares and just makes the top 20. Galaxy remains higher with 56 million shorted shares but it has shed 22 per cent in the last month.
Stocks with exposure to oil prices have also witnessed easing of short interest against them.
For instance Brazilian focused Karoon Energy (ASX:KAR) shed 17 per cent while African focused Far (ASX:FAR) shed nearly 10 per cent.